Day of the Dead, a brief
Oscar Torres-Reyna
In 2003, UNESCO proclaimed Mexico’s Day of the Dead Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The cultural wealth of this tradition resides on the fact that it not only blends Mexico’s ancient
mythologies with European Catholic traditions, but also, it combines all fundamental elements of
Mexico’s rich culture: family, food, music, arts and crafts, and a strong sense of community.
In the three thousand years old ancient Mexican religion, it was believed that dying was just another
step in our existence; there was no heaven or hell. Our destiny depended on how we died, not how we
lived our lives. In the case of the Aztecs, those who died of natural causes traveled, after a long and
tortuous journey, to the underworld known as Mictlán, where queen Mictecacíhuatl along with her
husband Mictlantecuhtli welcome the dead. Queen Mictecacíhuatl was also known as ‘Lady of the
Dead’, guardian of the bones. It was believed that, if necessary, bones could be used to create humans
in the future. Mictecacíhuatl also presided over the ancient festivals of the dead, as she is now in the
form of La Catrina.
After spending time in Mictlán, it was believed the dead would return to earth. Mourning and sadness
were considered insults to the dead so, month long celebrations in August welcome the dead with a
series of festivities including processions, parties, and offerings in the form of shrines with food and
gifts for the dead. The arrival of the Spaniards and Catholic missioners did not stop those celebrations
but rather blended them with the European’s All Saint’s Day/All Souls’s Day traditions, eventually
moving them to November 1st and 2nd, creating what it is now known as Dia de Muertos or Day of the
Dead.
Nowadays, celebrations take place in cemeteries were people bring mariachi music, food and spend a
joyous time remembering the dead loved ones. At home, families set an altar (shrine) with ofrendas
(offerings). The altar represents a complex syncretism of ancient and Catholic beliefs, where each layer
represents a different level of existence: heaven or sky, earth, hell or underworld, sins or steps to the
underworld. Furthermore, every element of the altar has a meaning: the arch represents a portal into the
underworld, cempazúchitl (marigold) flowers guide the spirits to earth, candles illuminate the path, pan
de muerto (‘dead bread’) represents the soil and bones, papel picado (paper cut-outs) represent the
wind and the fragile link between life and death, incense to purify the soul, salt to shield the dead from
mortal temptations, sugar skulls represent the deceased, and food, drinks and mementos serve as
remembrances. Every region in Mexico adds its own special character to the celebrations.
Day of de Dead celebrates life, its fragility, its complexity but, at its core, it is a celebration of hope for
humanity.
Online references: UNESCO, https://goo.gl/HVTwSR; Excelsior, https://goo.gl/ILNePe; National Geographic, https://goo.gl/Wt24t7; INAH/La Jornada, https://goo.gl/JUEAM1; El Museo del
Barrio, https://goo.gl/TVIm5w